The defense team representing Damien Echols, who is on Arkansas death row for his conviction in the case, reports that there are new witnesses who have not
been questioned in the 1993 investigation.

Two other men are imprisoned for the killings of three eight-year-old boys.

Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley continue their fight for new trials.

This afternoon, Echols' defense team issued the following news release:

Neighbors Saw Steven Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore With Hobbs Just Before Their Disappearance

Three eyewitnesses have come forward and provided sworn statements that they saw Steven Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore with Terry Hobbs, the
stepfather of Steven Branch, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, 1993, immediately before the time the boys disappeared. Hobbs was calling loudly at the children
and ordering them to return to his house. The new evidence establishes that the last person who had custody of the three boys before they vanished and died was
Terry Hobbs. Jamie Clark Ballard, who lived only three doors down from Terry and Pam Hobbs, has supplied a sworn affidavit, as have both her mother and her
sister.

Based upon this new evidence, a motion on behalf of Damien Echols was delivered today to the Arkansas Supreme Court asking the court to order the matter to the
Circuit Court to permit further factual development of Echols's claims of actual innocence.

Ballard states in her sworn affidavit that, "Between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., I saw Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers playing in my
backyard. I am absolutely, completely and totally positive that I saw Terry Hobbs hollering at Stevie, Michael and Christopher to get back down to the Hobbs
house at approximately 6:30 pm. If Terry Hobbs said he did not see Stevie Branch, Michael Moore or Christopher Byers on May 5, 1993, he is not telling the
truth. I know for a fact that Terry Hobbs saw, was with and spoke to Stevie, Michael or Christopher on May 5, 1993."

Hobbs has repeatedly said that he never saw the three boys the day they were murdered. In fact, during a recent civil deposition of Terry Hobbs, dated July 21,
2009, Hobbs stated, for the first time under oath, that he never saw his stepson, Steven Branch, at any time on May 5, 1993. Under oath he was asked,
"It's your testimony that you did not see Stevie Branch at all the day of May 5th of 1993. Correct?" Hobbs answer: "Correct." "Did
you see Stevie at all that day, May 5th?" Answer: "No, I did not." "Did you see any of the three boys that day?" Answer: "No, I
did not. No I never seen Stevie that day."

Police never questioned Terry Hobbs during the original investigation of the crimes, but after new evidence was revealed that his DNA was found at the crime
scene in 2007, he was questioned by West Memphis Police Department on June 21, 2007. In that interview he stated numerous times to Detective Mitchell that he
did not see the boys at any time that day. Officer Mitchell asked Terry Hobbs about what time he got home from work, and he responds roughly about 3-3:30 p.m.
He was then asked if he saw Stevie anywhere. His answer: "I did not, he wasn't there."

According to the motion prepared by Dennis Riordan and Don Horgan, Echols attorneys, "It has previously been established that Hobbs was never questioned
by police during the original investigation of the crimes, despite the fact that the lead detective in the investigation of the murders has conceded both that
when a child homicide occurs, police should always consider the parents of the child as potential suspects, and that it is "statistically proven that
homicide victims are usually the result of family, close friends, [and] known acquaintances" (see below). Yet DNA evidence submitted to the Circuit Court
in the § 16‑112‑201 proceedings below links Hobbs to the ligature used to bind Michael Moore. A hair linked by DNA testing to David Jacoby, whom Hobbs had
visited in the hour before the boys disappeared, was found at the crime scene. Hobbs, moreover, has been accused assaultive conduct in the past. He has made
bizarre and self-incriminating statements concerning his activities on the date the boys went missing. His whereabouts during a key early evening time period
on May 5th have never been accounted for. Certain family members recalled that he had acted suspiciously on the date of the disappearance and the days that
followed. His wife and other family members have voiced their belief that Hobbs was responsible for the killings.

"Considered in the context of all available evidence in these matters, the new revelations that Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of Steven Branch, had Steven,
Christopher, and Michael in his custody just before their disappearance and death, and that Hobbs has deliberately denied and concealed that critical fact,
cannot reasonably be reconciled with the conclusion that appellants were responsible for the crimes of which they stand convicted."

The eyewitnesses, who saw the boys in their backyard prior to returning to the Hobbs home, were never questioned by the police on the day of the murders.
According to the affidavit of Jamie Clark Ballard, "Following the murders, the police never came to interview me or my family. In fact, after the murders,
I do not recall ever seeing any police vehicles on my street or seeing any police interviewing any of the people in my neighborhood."

Damien Echols case is currently under appeal in the Arkansas Supreme court seeking a new trial based upon new evidence. Dozens of pieces of evidence found at
the crime scene conclusively show that no DNA from the murders matches Echols or the other two men. DNA testing, however, links Terry Hobbs, stepfather of one
of the murdered children, to the crime scene, and other evidence has emerged implicating him in the crimes. In addition, scientific evidence from the
nation's leading forensics experts demonstrates that most of the wounds on the victims were caused by animals at the crime scene, after their deaths - not
by knives used by the perpetrators, as the prosecution claimed and was the centerpiece of the prosecution's case. Moreover, evidence presented that a knife
recovered from a lake near one defendant's home caused the wounds was completely discredited by the pathologists.

Echols's also informed the Supreme Court that a prominent Arkansas attorney in a sworn affidavit has revealed improper conversations that the jury foreman
held with the attorney while the original trial was in progress, clearly violating the law and the rights of Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin to a fair and
impartial trial. In those conversations, the jury foreman indicates that he had prejudged Echols's guilt and was trying to convince other jurors to convict
based upon news reports of the false confession of Jessie Misskelley, which was barred from admission at the Echols-Baldwin trial. During one conversation, the
jury foreman told the attorney that the prosecution had presented a weak case, and that the prosecution had better present something powerful the next day (the
end of the prosecution's case) or it would be up to him to secure a conviction.

KARK 4 is attempting to contact Terry Hobbs about this new information, and we'll share any comments he makes available.

We're talking about in-exact times, kerrie.
Let's say the witnesses were 15 minutes mistaken and they saw Hobbs yell at the boys at 5:15 pm....or maybe Mark was 15 minutes off and he found Chris on
14th Street at about 5:45 pm.

Do you really think that this many people are out to get Terry, and let 3 child-killers go?

"No but it's kind of like alot of supporters believing the WM Police department along with the entire State of Arkansas criminal justice system were
out to get D, J & J and some people believing everyone in the case is a liar except Damien."

Nobody was "out to get" DJ&J" except Gitchell and a few of his detectives. He convinced the prosecution that Jessie was telling the
truth and then it was a domino effect of everyone else trying to make sure of convictions and further their careers.

"And you seen all the evidence? "

Apparently, a lot more than you have.

"Dana also seen the boys together at 6:30pm. 5:30 and 6:30 is a big time difference."

The witnesses said Terry yelled at them between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. Dana could have still seen them at about 6:15-6:30 pm.
IMO...the witnesses probably saw Terry yell at them at about 5:15-5:30 pm. Chris went toward his house and Stevie was given permission to stay out later. This
doesn't change anyone's testimony.

This is bs and you know it, I just talked to Terry he didn't even know anyone by that name and if you think about it could you remember 16 years ago, I
know I couldn't. Anything to get three child murderers out of jail, and to crucify an innocent man. Do you people realize what they are doing to Terry, to
Todd who just wants clousure.

"Paid
What happened to your common sense, 16 years ago this Hubbard person claims he saw Terry with the kids give me a break. How much was the guy paid to say
that?"

Jan,...Jamie Clark Ballard is a female. She wasn't paid anything. And, you're assuming that she just came up with this yesterday. She apparently
knew this for years and it didn't seem important until Hobbs stated under oath that he did not see or talk to any of the three boys that day.
Also...it was three witnesses...not just one.
Just because Hobbs claims not to know the Ballards doesn't mean a thing. He moved around so much, I doubt he knew any of his neighbors...
...doesn't mean they didn't know who he was.

"And heres some news for you Pam is the one who introduced Terry to Jacoby."

no i'm gonna tell you what pisses me off: that people like you insult the intelligence of everybody else here by
saying "if mark did not say this.. if mark did say that etc" as if this case solely spins around what john mark byers says. most f&$%§ bumbling
*s&% i've ever heard. people can read, and they read the terry hobbs police interview to start with. or was this all conducted by john mark byers..-is
he the puppet master?!?

kerriedale wrote:
"WELL, I think if Mark was still a non he would be changing his mind by now...."

Nah I don't think so because it was Mark who started this entire shanagins about Terry. I think if Mark was still a non, he would still be the number 1
suspect to some supporters. Just say Terry also becomes a supporter. Who are the Terry Hobbs headhunters going to blame next? Todd? I am not trying to be
ignorant but it appears supporter=innocense to some, not all. I don't understand how someone believed Mark was the killer and the very next day they
don't believe that anymore. How is that even possible?

"Dana saw the kids at this time and so did the kids down the street and not one of these people mention Terry yelling at the kids. Could the little girl
be Ballard?"

No..Ballard lived two houses down from Hobbs.

"And Ryan went to school the next day?"

Nobody said that Ryan went to school for the entire day, kerrie. She said that she saw Ryan at school after the boys were found dead. (which was at about
2-3 pm). He wasn't necessarily at school that morning.

"Well it wouldn't make sense for him to just go to school for that short of time because Ballard states right after he told her that, school let
out. I am not sure about the school systems in Arkansas but where I live if you can't come to school after 12 noon."

I'm saying that maybe Ryan stopped by school after finding out that Chris' body was found... to let his friends know. I'm sure that the Arkansas
School System would make an exception in a case like this.

"Ok I was just going Mark's statement. But maybe the time was off and she was mistaken"

Mark's statement was based on what Dana told him. I'm not sure Dana's version is very reliable (if you know what I mean).

If you'll read the affidavits...they explain why they didn't say anything until now.

What kind of "proof" do you want, kerrie...... a video? You've got Hobbs lying about his alibi...lying about seeing or talking to any of the
boys that day....admitting to being in and out of the small patch of woods where the boys were submerged "all night long"...telling Sharon Nelson
that he found the bodies before 9 pm and describing some of the wounds....mentioning a "covered hole" that the boys could have been in ( in which
x-patterned rebar is found that matches the grid-pattern on Stevie's leg)....his DNA was found on the ligature of Michael...Jacoby's DNA found at the
scene....

On 5-5-93 Jason Baldwin, my Grand Nephew, came to my house at about 4:30 PM and mowed my yard. He was alone when he was at my house. He left my house at
about 6:30 PM and said he was going to Walmart to play video games. I remember the times because Jeopardy was coming on when he got here and Wheel of Fortune
was coming on when he left.

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